


Chosen

by PatchworkIdeas



Series: WinterFRE 2020 [5]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Light-Hearted, M/M, WillingSacrificeKili
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:08:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22419772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatchworkIdeas/pseuds/PatchworkIdeas
Summary: Some ritual sacrifices are no hardship at all.
Relationships: Fíli/Kíli (Tolkien)
Series: WinterFRE 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1604650
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33
Collections: GatheringFiKi - Winter FRE 2020





	Chosen

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Prompt Nr.23:  
> They drew lines and symbols all over his body. He knew he was the sacrifice.
> 
> This came from the musings of what a happy sacrifice might look like. Thanks to the prompter for a prompt that gave me so many different ideas and for [dragonsquill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonsquill) for getting me thinking in this direction in the first place ;-)

They drew lines and symbols all over his body.  
He knew he was the sacrifice.  
It was a giddying thought.  
Plenty had hoped to be chosen - and he was.

He would bring fortune to their land for yet another year.

He had talked to some of the former sacrifices. Generals, ministers, people who had all they could ever want. Not all sacrifices made their way back to their homeland, but those that did were treated with the utmost respect and were more skilled than anyone could imagine.

Every year, one of their people would be chosen, would act as a sacrifice, sent through the magical doorway only open that day. He would act as the partner to one of the powerful beings living on the other side. Their powers were far reaching, and the sign of his new master had been burned into his door.

He could say no, of course.  
This was an ancient ritual between their people, a willing exchange - not a barbaric transaction where he was forced into anything he didn't agree with.

The general had told him what the signs meant.  
The one interested in him was a male, a warrior with budding political responsibilities. The latter was important, because it meant the other was young - about his own age, maybe just a few years older. He had asked for confirmation of that and while the general had only laughed, the next morning a new sign had been added. 

Young and handsome, was the translation. 

Apparently also sassy and a bit arrogant, but Kili thought he could work with that.

The reason it was important to him?  
Some years, the sacrifice would act as a kind of aide, be trained by someone who needed willing extra hands at their own job.  
This year, with these signs, it was quite obvious that the other was interested in a more personal relationship with him - if he agreed.  
No one had ever heard of a sacrifice who had been touched or held against their will, despite those who did not return.

Kili didn't know what was more interesting: coming back with enough skills to get any position he could ever want - or finding something even better.

Either way, he had spent his days since then studying their language, their customs, their culture. He would bear gifts, though none made of metal, and none on his body - to prove he had no ill will and gave himself over to their care in good faith.

He licked his lips, one of the painters giving him an evil eye when his member twitched just inches from her face. He wasn't sure if it was because she thought he was being unfaithful (not that he swung that way) or because she was simply envious.  
It didn't matter.

When he was all adorned he stepped into the boat, removed the rope anchoring it and let the magic current carry him towards the middle of the lake, where he knew from earlier years the sacrifice would disappear without a trace.  
At that exact moment in time a downpour would race across their land, giving life to all their crops, healing illnesses and wounds and calling in a new year of prosperity.

All in response to one of their own sacrificing a year - or forever, in some cases - and being willing to leave their comfortable home behind in exchange for the unknown.

This part of the journey would most likely be the most uncomfortable, despite the strange warm wind doing its best to keep him warm in his state of undress.  
He knew that the others appreciated hard work, and was ready for that, but he would not have been chosen as a possible romantic partner if he had been found lacking in any regard, including his work ethic.

The sky disappeared from one second to the next, halls full of glittering stones and precious jewels abruptly replacing it.

And there, on the other shore: a single being, blond hair, blue eyes and oooh, yes. _Dimples._  
Sassy perhaps, but was it arrogance if it was true?

Kili stood up, proudly showing himself off for what would hopefully be a very good match.  
He might have been the sacrifice, but he had a feeling he, too, would have a very prosperous year indeed.


End file.
